Brown rejects rivalry claims

Chancellor Gordon Brown today tried to damp down speculation about Government in-fighting over the euro by insisting Britain's economic interests - and not personal political rivalries - would determine whether there was a referendum.

Chancellor Gordon Brown today tried to damp down speculation about Government in-fighting over the euro by insisting Britain's economic interests - and not personal political rivalries - would determine whether there was a referendum.

He accused those who claimed it was all a personal battle between him and Prime Minister of "trivialising" one of the most important decisions for Britain's future.

He was speaking as a row blew up over former Cabinet minister Peter Mandelson's claim that the Chancellor had "out-manoeuvred" Tony Blair over the single currency.

Mr Mandelson warned that failure to hold a referendum in this Parliament would do "incalculable" harm to Britain's economy and damage both the New Labour "project" and the Prime Minister himself.

And he said that Mr Brown had prevailed over the more euro-friendly Mr Blair because he was more "obsessed" with politics and thought about it "24 hours a day".